The prior art discloses housings for electromagnetic radiation emitting optoelectronic components comprising a base body that defines a recess. The floor of this recess is provided for mounting a luminescent diode chip. The inner walls of the recess can be shaped in the manner of a reflector, so that a portion of en electromagnetic radiation emitted by the luminescent diode chip can be deflected by the inner walls into a desired solid angle of radiation. An example of a component equipped with such a housing is disclosed in U.S. Pat No. 5,040,868.
Optoelectronic components that emit electromagnetic radiation are finding ever-increasing use in floodlight or projection applications. One example of a floodlight in which electromagnetic radiation emitting luminescent diodes are used is described in DE 10315131 A1. That device is a vehicle headlight in which a plurality of luminescent diode chips are disposed in a common recess. A side of the recess that faces in a light radiation direction has a marginal edge whose spatial arrangement relative to the luminescent diode chip is such that a defined luminance gradient for the distribution of light from the headlight is created in the region of the marginal edges.
In floodlight applications of this kind, it is important for an electromagnetic radiation emitted by the luminescent diode chip to be radiated with the highest possible radiation density and with a given radiation distribution in a given, narrow solid angle. To achieve this, for example beam cones are projected onto a desired plane by means of optics such as projection lenses. In applications of this kind, irregularities in the radiation characteristic of the optoelectronic components used may be intensified and can therefore be especially troublesome. There is, consequently, a demand for components that are specifically tailored to such applications in terms of their radiation properties.